


Man in the moon

by Anonymous



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Fluff, M/M, Unrelated Fíli and Kíli
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-25
Updated: 2019-08-25
Packaged: 2020-09-26 13:47:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20390683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Fíli cannot resist the beauty of the moon





	Man in the moon

**Author's Note:**

  * For [msilverstar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/msilverstar/gifts).

The sphere of the observatory on the mountain was a familiar sight from the village down in the valley. Yet few ever ventured through the narrow path up. 

None but Fíli who had taken care of his mother’s cousin Oín, the old sage who lived there. It was Fíli who had found him dying one morning and carried him on his back to the village to be buried by the priest, yet another distant cousin.

Others were fearful of the observatory, fearful of intruding on secrets that were not for mortals.

Yet Fíli was addicted to the beauty of the night and the stars and the moon.

And he kept working on the telescope, refining it, giving him ever clearer pictures of the sky.

And one night as he set the telescope towards the moon, he saw him. The man in the moon. A muscular youth, scruffy brown beard that reflected silvery light, untamed brown hair, shimmering, and eyes, eyes so big and windows to a soul beyond mortal comprehension.

He was dancing on the surface of the moon, twirling in his silky robes, his mouth moving in song no mortal could hear.

Every night now Fíli went up to the observatory, neglecting his duties in the village. When the new moon came and he was deprived of the moon’s beauty he curled up underneath the telescope, wrapped in blankets. 

His uncle found him in the morning, reprimanding him sternly.

Fíli did not get to go to the observatory for a week, his uncle making sure he caught up on every duty he had neglected.

Saturday night he was finally free again. He trekked up to the observatory.

It was a cloudy night. But finally, finally the clouds parted, like a veil, revealing the dancing youth. As Fíli zoomed closer, the man twirled around, lifting his face to stare in the direction of the telescope. His eyes had never seemed larger, innocent yet wise, shimmering silver in the soft light.

The small smile always hovering around his mouth turned into a beam. He stayed like that for what seemed an eternity, until a cloud veiled him again.

The following week the harvest began. As much as Fíli yearned to see his man in the moon, he needed no reprimands to do more than his fair share of the work. And even he was too exhausted by the weekend to think of walking up a hill.

The harvest festival finally arrived. The golden wheat crowns reminded Fíli of the moon, that rose while the villagers were sitting on the village green, drinking, cheering and making merry. The moon shone brightly, no cloud cover for the night.

His uncle was long home, when Fíli got up and made his way home safely in the clear moonlight.

Just as he turned into the yard of their farm, the air in front of him shimmered. He took a step backwards, as the shape of a young man flickered into being.

The man in the moon. Dressed in a white robe, his hair wild and free.

Fíli was speechless. 

The youth opened his mouth, his voice more melodious than ever a mortal heard, vibrating with celestial harmonies. “You have not come to see me in a while.”

“I ….” Fíli gaped. “I … the harvest.”

“Such a wonderful celebration you had tonight, here and in so many other villages.” The other smiled, no beamed. “I do love to see happiness down here.”

“Yes. Um.” Fíli blinked. “What was in Farmer Underhill’s ale.”

“I am here, if that is what you’re asking.” The other cocked his head, the air around him still shimmering. “I came to find you.”

“Oh. Um. I mean. You. You did see me?”

“I could feel your soul.” A hand more hesitant than Fíli expected from a supernatural being stretched out to touch Fíli just above the heart. “A pure soul yearning for the stars.”

“And the moon.”

“I can take you there.” The other held out both hands now. “Come with me.”

“I. My uncle. My duties.”

The other’s smile fell a little, but he recovered. “Yes. Your mortal attachments. I will return you. Tomorrow morning. No tricks, I promise.”

Fíli remembered all the stories of mortals tricked by the fey. And then he took the man’s hand.

“I am Fíli.”

“A beautiful name. I will be Kíli.”

***

Fíli returned to the village the next day. But every night, he spent on the moon, wrapped up in his Kíli.


End file.
